Methods, devices and systems for determining a target path

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments and a method. The method includes iteratively providing messages to each Node Processor. Each Node Processor represents a node of a group of nodes. The iteratively providing of the messages comprises providing first messages. Each first message includes a cost associated with a path of nodes visited by each first message. A selected path is obtained from each node having a lowest cost of a group of common endpoint costs for paths having common endpoints. A next group of messages includes the selected path. The iteratively providing of the messages results in selected paths. Also, the method include determining a target path from a remaining path. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 iteratively providing, from a message handler of a processing system including a processor, a first message to each of a group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of first messages, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises:
 determining, by the message handler, a cost associated with a path of each first message resulting in a first group of costs and a first group of paths; 
 identifying, by the message handler, a known minimum solution (KMS), wherein the KMS is a least cost from the first group of costs; 
 selecting, by the message handler, at least one path from the first group of paths associated with the KMS resulting in at least one first selected path; 
 providing, by the message handler, a next message that includes the at least one first selected path and based on the KMS to a first portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a first group of next messages and a first plurality of selected paths; and 
 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and first group of next messages, determining, by the message handler, a first target path that is a remaining path of the first plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the first group of next messages, and wherein the first target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , comprising determining, by the message handler, an average cost between any two nodes of the group of nodes, and determining, by the message handler, a standard deviation associated with the average cost. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selecting of the at least one path from the first group of paths comprises selecting, by the message handler, the at least one path from the first group of paths according to the average cost and the standard deviation. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , comprising identifying, by the message handler, a first portion of the first group of paths such that each of the first portion of the first group of paths is associated with a first cost that is more than the average cost and the standard deviation associated with the average cost resulting a group of sequestered selected paths and a first identification. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , comprising providing, by the message handler, the first identification of group of sequestered paths to a sequestration handler, wherein the processing system comprises the sequestration handler. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , comprising:
 iteratively providing, from the sequestration handler, a second message to each of a second portion of a group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of second messages, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of second messages comprises:
 determining, by the sequestration handler, a cost associated with a path of each second message resulting in a second group of costs and a second group of paths; 
 identifying, by the sequestration handler, the known minimum solution (KMS), wherein the KMS is a least cost from the second group of costs; 
 selecting, by the sequestration handler, at least one path from the second group of paths associated with the KMS resulting in at least one second selected path; 
 providing, by the sequestration handler, a next message that includes the at least one second selected path and based on the KMS to a third portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a second group of next messages and a second plurality of selected paths; and 
 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of second messages and second group of next messages, determining, by the sequestration handler, a second target path that is a remaining path of the second plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the second group of next messages, and wherein the second target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein a cost associated with the second target path is lower than a cost associated with the first target path. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second target path is a complete path. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second target path is a complete shortest path. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first target path is a complete path. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first target path is a complete shortest path. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cost is one of time, distance, monetary cost, available bandwidth, latency, throughput, risk, or probability of success. 
     
     
       13. A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor, a group of node processors, an administration processor, and a message handler, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes; and 
 a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitates performance of operations, the operations comprising: 
 determining, by the message handler, an average cost between any two nodes of the group of nodes, and determining, by the message handler, a standard deviation associated with the average cost; 
 iteratively providing from the message handler of the processing system, a first message to each of the group of node processors resulting in a group of first messages, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises:
 determining, by the message handler, a cost associated with a path of each first message resulting in a first group of costs and a first group of paths; 
 identifying, by the message handler, a known minimum solution (KMS), wherein the KMS is a least cost from the first group of costs; 
 selecting, by the message handler, at least one path from the first group of paths associated with the KMS according to the average cost and the standard deviation resulting in at least one first selected path; 
 providing, by the message handler, a next message that includes the at least one first selected path and based on the KMS, the average cost, and the standard deviation to a first portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a first group of next messages and a first plurality of selected paths; and 
 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the first group of next messages, determining, by the message handler, a first target path that is a remaining path of the first plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the first group of next messages, and wherein the first target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations comprise identifying, by the message handler, a first portion of the group of paths such that each of the first portion of the group of paths is associated with a first cost that is more than the average cost and the standard deviation associated with the average cost resulting a group of sequestered selected paths and a first identification. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the operations comprise providing, by the message handler, the first identification of group of sequestered paths to a sequestration handler, wherein the processing system comprises the sequestration handler. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:
 iteratively providing, from the sequestration handler, a second message to each of a second portion group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of second messages, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of second messages comprises:
 determining, by the sequestration handler, a cost associated with a path of each second message resulting in a second group of costs and a second group of paths; 
 identifying, by the sequestration handler, the known minimum solution (KMS), wherein the KMS is a least cost from the second group of costs; 
 selecting, by the sequestration handler, at least one path from the second group of paths associated with the KMS resulting in at least one second selected path; 
 providing, by the sequestration handler, a next message that includes the at least one second selected path and based on the KMS to a third portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a second group of next messages and a second plurality of selected paths; and 
 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of second messages and second group of next messages, determining, by the sequestration handler, a second target path that is a remaining path of the second plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the second group of next messages, and wherein the second target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 16 , wherein a cost associated with the second target path is lower than a cost associated with the first target path. 
     
     
       18. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, a group of node processors, an administration processor, and a message handler, wherein each of the group of node processors represents a node of a group of nodes, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 determining, by the message handler, an average cost between any two nodes of the group of nodes, and determining, by the message handler, a standard deviation associated with the average cost; 
 iteratively providing from the message handler of the processing system, a first message to each of the group of node processors resulting in a group of first messages, wherein the iteratively providing of the group of first messages comprises: 
 determining, by the message handler, a cost associated with a path of each first message resulting in a group of costs and a group of paths; 
 identifying, by the message handler, a known minimum solution (KMS), wherein the KMS is a least cost from the group of costs; 
 selecting, by the message handler, at least one path from the group of paths associated with the KMS according to the average cost and the standard deviation resulting in at least one selected path; 
 providing, by the message handler, a next message that includes the at least one selected path and based on the KMS, the average cost, and the standard deviation to a portion of the group of node processors of the processing system resulting in a group of next messages and a plurality of selected paths; and 
 responsive to the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the group of next messages, determining, by the message handler, a target path that is a remaining path of the plurality of selected paths, wherein the remaining path is identified from the iteratively providing of the group of first messages and the group of next messages, and wherein the target path is through each node of the group of nodes. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the target path is a complete path. 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the target path is a complete shortest path.